Does God Really Cares For Us This Christmas?

Just a week before Christmas 2011, My country, Philippines has been devastated by strong typhoon that killed more than 500 people with hundreds still missing. I wonder how the victim’s family can celebrate Christmas this year.

A month before Christmas 2009, 57 people including 30 journalist had been brutally massacred in Maguindanao, Philippines. The said incident brought some questions in my mind. Does God still in control? Why God did not intervene? Does God really cares? The following is a familiar story:

A couple with two siblings ages one year and two is happily watching their children on that Christmas Eve. Those small kids undoubtedly bring joy to their lives as they ponder dreams in their hearts for the children’s future. Suddenly a rushing knocks on the door followed by a big bang startled everyone. A group of deadly soldiers forcefully entered the house without warning as they are shouting; “Where are your children?” Upon hearing the words from the soldiers, the mother quickly run and hug her two kids while the father gathered strength and stand on the way to protect his family. But the shining swords of the soldiers found his body and he quickly fall on the floor bleeding.

The two soldiers forcefully took the two kids from the mother’s arm and carried them outside. The mother was left shock and confuse while her husband is laid dying on the floor when she heard the cry of her kids outside which stop shortly afterward. She ran outside and found her dear children also lying on the ground bleeding and without life. From the near houses, the weeping and agony of other mothers who also suffer the same tragedy can be heard.

The massacre of infants in the City of Ramah was not only circulated through the big publications of the world but it was recorded on the Holy Bible.

When Herod realized that he had been outwitted by the Magi, he was furious, and he gave orders to kill all the boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity who were two years old and under, in accordance with the time he had learned from the Magi. Then what was said through the prophet Jeremiah was fulfilled: A voice is heard in Ramah, weeping and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children and refusing to be comforted, because they are no more. Mat 2:16-18

More or less 30 years later, people discover that one boy from Bethlehem survived from that tragedy and from the swords of the soldiers. He had been saved because of a mysterious dream:

When they had gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. Get up, he said, take the child and his mother and escape to Egypt. Stay there until I tell you, for Herod is going to search for the child to kill him. So he got up, took the child and his mother during the night and left for Egypt, Mat 2:13-4

Several days ago, the mother of the murdered kids met the boy who survives the massacre. She cannot help but to let tears run down on her cheeks as he stare Jesus, the survivor of the said tragedy who is now a gentle man. Yes! You read it right; He is Jesus the son of Joseph and Mary. Jesus gently stands as he was called to read parts of the Holy Book in the Synagogue.

Pain suddenly squeezes the heart of the mother. Questions upon questions came to her mind. If God is real then why her kids are gone? If God is powerful and in control, why He did not protect hers sons? Or may be she’s too poor and destitute that God doesn’t care about her family… Jesus starts reading the Holy Book.

"The Spirit of the LORD is upon Me, Because He has anointed Me To preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to the captives And recovery of sight to the blind, To set at liberty those who are oppressed; To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD." Luke 4:18-19

Then He closed the book, and gave it back to the attendant and sat down. And the eyes of all who were in the synagogue were fixed on Him. And He began to say to them, "Today this Scripture is fulfilled in your hearing." Luk 4:20-21

Her heartbeat intensified! Her mind suddenly enlightened! The agony of her soul suddenly relieved! Every Jews knows that Messiah, the coming Savior will come to redeem Israel. But she did not expect that she will see and heard Him that day. The words coming from His mouth is like a spring of living water on her soul. For the poor, the broken hearted, captives, blind, oppressed and to those who lost the last breath of hope; they are the reasons why Christ the Son of God came to the world